Symbolism
by HermioneGrangerTwin
Summary: Hermione guesses it's symbolic. Ginny just wants a puppy. R/Hr. During OOTP and Post DH.


Symbolism

A/N: This story started as an actual conversation between me and a friend. This Ginny is a different person in my life. She is a year younger than me, and although she wouldn't appreciate hearing it, I don't think she quite understands how much having _that_ man's children is different. I've never experienced it myself, but the thoughts that action provokes make me feel like I'm missing something. I'll elaborate on that sort of thought in a later story.

The first part is set in Hermione's fifth year and Ginny's fourth.

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Hermione helped the first years with a smile.

Hermione loved children. She had always been fascinated with pregnancy and young children, but as she grew, she adored children more. She felt protective towards not only them, but those who surrounded her. She wanted to have her own children. And as she grew closer to Ron, she knew she wanted to have _his_ children. She loved all kids, but she wanted to share hers with him.

Ginny grinned at her from across the Gryffindor Common Room. She was having a blast teaching one small girl her Bat-Bogey Hex, the secret weapon she only taught to a certain few.

After all the younger ones had gone to bed, Hermione and Ginny were left alone on the couch in front of the fire.

"Saw you power walking over there," Hermione said, laughing. "Guess you have to practice being a mum sometime."

Ginny smiled. "We're going to dominate as parents."

Hermione nodded. "I'm going to love having my own kids."

"Your own kids?"

"Yes. My limit is four, you see—"

Ginny gave a laugh, interrupting Hermione's statement. "_Four?_ You're going to pass four babies through your body?"

Hermione frowned at her tone, as if this desire was absurd. "Yes. Why wouldn't I?"

Ginny shook her head. "'Cause it'll hurt like a bloody nightmare, that's why! Why put yourself through it all?"

"Carrying them for nine months, knowing it's yours. You'll love it all the more."

"Better you than me. I plan to adopt."

Hermione was shocked. "But what about your husband?"

"What about him?"

"What if he wants to have his own children?"

Ginny scoffed. "He'll get over it. Besides, he's not the one having it."

Hermione struggled to make her point clear. "But they wouldn't be _his_ kids."

"Well, yes. I should hope not, if they aren't mine."

"But—but, they won't be _his_ kids."

"You just said that."

"But you love him, right?"

"He's my husband. Of course!"

"So if you had your own children, they would be _his_ children."

"Hermione," Ginny said, looking bewildered. "Yes, they would be my husband's children."

"It would be _his_ baby."

"Hermione, you keeping saying that. What are you getting at?"

"It would be his baby you're carrying. _His_. Your baby with _him_. The one you love more than anyone else is bringing someone into the world that you'll love just as much as him. Bringing it in by your love, for your love."

"Oh. That."

Hermione was lost in fantasy. Ron was talking to her large belly filled with his child. "_Our baby_," she whispered.

Ginny snapped her fingers in front of Hermione's face. "Oh, Merlin. You're thinking about my thick headed brother again."

Hermione came back to her original train of thought. "It would be our baby, you know?"

"Yeah."

They were silent for a few moments. "I guess it's symbolic."

Ginny nodded. "And that's great and everything, but can't we just have a puppy?"

Hermione laughed loudly. Ginny was too young to understand, she supposed. Too inexperienced to understand how love changes. How one man can change what you thought you wanted.

----

Hermione climbed into bed with difficulty and a smile. Her bulk was impairing her motion. Ron kissed her gently on the forehead, placing his hands on her stomach. The baby kicked and he smiled. He kissed her and held her as closely as possible.

"She always kicks for you."

"I _am_ her daddy, you know."

Hermione chuckled. "Yes, and she loves you very much."

"Did she tell you that?"

"No. I deduced it from her activities."

"Ah, you see," Ron said, wagging a finger at her. "That very…inefficient. I'll have to ask her myself." He slid down her body and brought his lips to her stomach. "Hi darling! It's your father speaking. Mummy says you love me, but I just wanted to ask you to make sure." He pressed his ear to her bulge and after a couple seconds, nodded. "Good. I'll tell her." He smiled up at Hermione and tears welled up in her eyes. She remembered when this was hope. An illusion she wanted to be real. Ron rushed to her side. "Hey! _Hey_. She says she loves you too."

Tears were streaming down her cheeks. She couldn't speak.

"What's wrong?" he asked, trying to wipe her tears.

The flow only came harder and Hermione blubbered, almost incoherently, "Y-you l-love me!"

Ron looked mystified. "Well, of course! More than anything."

She kissed him. It was real. Everything she'd ever wanted. "You're everything." Ron nodded confusion still in his eyes. She kissed him hard, trying to put all the love she had into it. "I love you so much."

He nodded again. "I don't think I knew how much more I could love you until I found out we were pregnant.

Their foreheads were propped against the others. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. You're having my baby. It's mine, you know?"

Hermione smiled. "I know exactly what you mean."

"I mean, you're doing this great thing for me."

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I'm doing this for _us_."

Ron grinned. "You're so beautiful."

She chuckled. "You're the only one who thinks so."

"No. She thinks so too."

She placed her hands on her stomach. "She's more beautiful."

"How do you know that?"

"Because she's ours."

"You're right. She has to be."

Hermione kissed him gently. He cradled her face in his hands. "I love you."

"I love you too."

He kissed her again and then looked into her eyes. "Are you alright now?"

"Yes." She nodded and lowered her eyes back to her swell.

Ron cocked his head. "Do you know why you cried?"

Hermione looked up. "Because you've given me everything I've wanted."

Silently, he placed a hand on her stomach and the other on her face. "My girls."

Tears gathered again. The movement, so protective, so possessive, so Ron. She felt her heart would burst from happiness. "I love our family."

Ron's eyes were shining. "So do I."

Hermione laughed to herself.

"What?" he asked.

"I don't want a puppy."

Ron pulled away from their closeness and looked at her, disoriented. "_What?_"

Hermione shook her head, smiling. "It's symbolic."

----

A/N: Hope you like it. I'm actually sort of proud of this one. It makes me smile.


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